Last time, we shared about Randy Alcorn’s Six False Expectations that Diminish Our Happiness. Too many followers of Jesus, I’m afraid, might hold on to some of these false expectations. As Alcorn says, they “are not grounded in Scripture and undermine our happiness.”
Let’s review these false expectations:
1.God’s love for us should look just like we want.
2.We won’t be persecuted for our faith.
3.Jesus must return in our lifetime.
4.Life will go smoothly and we will always have health and wealth.
5.Life will be fair and people will treat us kindly and thoughtfully.
6.Churches owe us better treatment than we’ve received.
Today, let’s unpack that first false expectation a bit more: God’s love for us should look just like we want.
This is most certainly a false expectation, but I’m afraid, a common one. It also sounds like something a two-year-old would expect. But we can understand the thinking of some. An age-old question has been, “How can a loving God, who is all-powerful, allow bad things to happen?”
We expect God’s love to be demonstrated by a “celestial grandfather” who only gives out candy. God’s love is a love that was demonstrated on a cross; not in a recliner.
Alcorn writes, “If we ignore countless passages that promise us persecution and suffering while focusing on those that promise us God’s blessing, we lose sight of his promise to discipline us, build our character, and increase our Christlikeness through suffering.”
The apostle Peter wrote, “Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.” (1 Peter 4:12-13, NIV)
We are God’s children. What kind of Heavenly Parent would he be if he gave us everything we wanted? If I gave my children everything they wanted when they were children all they would have eaten would have been ice cream and potato chips. Their mother and I loved them too much to allow that. We also loved them too much not to discipline them when they strayed.
So take some time for reflection. Do you have the false expectation that God’s love should meet your every demand and only be “rainbows and butterflies?” Or are you the follower who will “pick up the cross daily?”
Again, Alcorn writes, “We ought to expect with the highest confidence only what God has clearly, fundamentally, and absolutely promised. And if our gratitude is lessened with such an understanding, the problem is our expectations, not God’s promises. If we expect God to make our lives easy, our expectations are unbiblical.” (Eternal Perspective Ministries with Randy Alcorn)
[Also, if you would like a workshop for your church on How to Study and Understand the Bible, please contact me. We can do this in-person or virtually.]
Let’s review these false expectations:
1.God’s love for us should look just like we want.
2.We won’t be persecuted for our faith.
3.Jesus must return in our lifetime.
4.Life will go smoothly and we will always have health and wealth.
5.Life will be fair and people will treat us kindly and thoughtfully.
6.Churches owe us better treatment than we’ve received.
Today, let’s unpack that first false expectation a bit more: God’s love for us should look just like we want.
This is most certainly a false expectation, but I’m afraid, a common one. It also sounds like something a two-year-old would expect. But we can understand the thinking of some. An age-old question has been, “How can a loving God, who is all-powerful, allow bad things to happen?”
We expect God’s love to be demonstrated by a “celestial grandfather” who only gives out candy. God’s love is a love that was demonstrated on a cross; not in a recliner.
Alcorn writes, “If we ignore countless passages that promise us persecution and suffering while focusing on those that promise us God’s blessing, we lose sight of his promise to discipline us, build our character, and increase our Christlikeness through suffering.”
The apostle Peter wrote, “Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.” (1 Peter 4:12-13, NIV)
We are God’s children. What kind of Heavenly Parent would he be if he gave us everything we wanted? If I gave my children everything they wanted when they were children all they would have eaten would have been ice cream and potato chips. Their mother and I loved them too much to allow that. We also loved them too much not to discipline them when they strayed.
So take some time for reflection. Do you have the false expectation that God’s love should meet your every demand and only be “rainbows and butterflies?” Or are you the follower who will “pick up the cross daily?”
Again, Alcorn writes, “We ought to expect with the highest confidence only what God has clearly, fundamentally, and absolutely promised. And if our gratitude is lessened with such an understanding, the problem is our expectations, not God’s promises. If we expect God to make our lives easy, our expectations are unbiblical.” (Eternal Perspective Ministries with Randy Alcorn)
[Also, if you would like a workshop for your church on How to Study and Understand the Bible, please contact me. We can do this in-person or virtually.]
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